THE MICHIGAN DAILY
SUNDAY, OCT. 11, 1942
p
Noted Pianist
T oPlay Here
December 3
Artur Schnabel Is Called
Greatest Interpreter
Of Beethoven Music
Artur Schnabel, noted pianist who
will present the fifth concert of the
Choral Union series Thursday, De-
cember 3, is acclaimed as the great-
est living interpreter of Beethoven.
Born in Lipnik, Austria, Schnabel
studied under the greatest of Euro-
pean piano instructors, the famed
Leschetizky. Once, while studying in
Vienna under Leschetizky, he played
for Johanns Brahms, who exclaimed,
"How in the name of heaven can such
a young boy play all this so correct-
ly?"
After six years of study in Vienna,
Schnabel began his concert career,
giving sonata recitals with' Carl
Flesch, famous violinist, and later,
joint recitals with his wife, Therese
Behr, a lieder singer. His reputation
grew and he appeared with all the
major European symphony orches-
tras.
Returned from a brief visit to the
United States in 1922, Schnabel spent
the next 11 years in further concert
work, and in addition, established a
world-wide reputation as teacher of
piano.
Invited by Serge Koussevitzky to
participate in a festival of Brahms,
music with the Boston Symphony
Orchestra, Schnabel came to the Uni-
ted States in 1933. He performed two
concertos with the orchestra, which
established him in this country as
an outstanding pianist.
In 1935, Schnabel filled Carnegie
Hall seven times when he gave per-
formances of all of the Beethoven
piano sonatas. Yet, in spite of this
indication of his Beethoven mastery,
tinguished interpreter of Brahms,
Schnabel is also known as a dis-
Schubert and Schumann. He has
made extensive recordings of the
works of each of these masters. As
a composer he has devoted consider-
able time to productions of music in
the ultra-modern vein. The artist
has no explanation for composing
music so radically different from
that of the masters he best interprets
other than to say that it is his spon-
taneous expression.
Schnabel deplores the lack of mu-
sical amateurs among modern audi-
ences. Such people, according to the
artist, drew and were drawn to con-
cert artists by an invisible bond of
sympathy. He blames the vanishing
of this type of person on the absence
of leisure time.
NOTICE
The appearance of the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra, to be con-
ducted by Sir Thomas Beecham,
Tuesday, March 2 has been can-
celled for unavoidable reasons. The
University Musical Society has an-
nounced that an appropriate sub-
st tute will be found for this break
in the original program.
To A ppear Here In Concert
From Newspaper Man To 'Leading
Classical Singer'--That
's Nelson Eddy
Nelson Eddy, magnetic internation-
al idol of concert and movie lovers,
comes to the stage of Hill Auditorium
March 17 in the baritone concert for
which Ann Arbor has been waiting.
Through his distinctive acting and
personal charm, tall, blond, athletic
Eddy has become a sensation with 'a
voice heard round the world.' He has
received the plaudits of great musi-
cians both at home and abroad.
Always winning awards, he re-
ceived the American Institute of Cin-
ematography award in 1939 for dis-
tinguished achievements in advanc-
ing the standards of musical inter-
pretations in motion pictures. Also in.
1939, he was chosen by the New York
World-Telegram Radio Editors' poll
for 'leading classical singer,' and was
elected radio's 'Star of Stars' for 1939
and 1940 in Radio Guide's annual
contest.
Nelson Eddy's career started
strangely enough in the .field of jour-
nalism. Although coming from musi-
cal parents, his first interests were in
writing. At the age of fourteen, he
started on the night desks of theI
"position to sports coverage. Along
with his newspaper career he amused
himself singing with phonograph
records of great artists.
.r .This love for singing soon brought
opportunities to study with David
Bispham, who is accredited with the
'discovery' of Nelson Eddy. Later Ed-
dv traveled abroad and studied with
William Vilonat in Paris and Dres-
.:, ~den. He spent his time learning great
opera roles in their own tongues.
On returning to America Nelson
Eddy was again 'discovered.' This
time it was by Hollywood movie
scouts. After a screen test, Eddy was
signed up for pictures.
With "Naughty Marietta," "Sweet-
hearts" and "Maytime" he became a
world sensation. Since that time he
has made pictures, concert tours and
done radio work to keep millions of
NELSON EDDY music lovers happy.
Nelson Eddy made his Ann Arbor
Philadelphia Press and Evening Pub- debut when he appeared in the. May
lic Ledger.Festivals of 1930, and 1931. He returns
to grace our stage again in the Choral
Later, on the Philadelphia Evening Union Concerts, with a repertory in-
Bulletin young Eddy tried everything cluding French, German, Italian and
from ad makeup and headline com- English songs.
Gladys Swarthout will sing in the second Choral Union Concert
Thursday, October 29. Born and trained in America, Miss Swarthout
has a prominent place in the Metropolitan Opera and has held major
roles in most of the other American opera companies. "Mignon," "Nor-
ma," "Sadko," and "Tales of Hoffman" are some of her favorite roles.
Beauty, brains and industry, added to a lovely voice, have brought her
great fame, and she has shown her talents in radio and sound films as
well as in. concert and opera.
Gladys Swarthout, Metropolitan
Star, To Sing In Second Concert
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Mezzo-soprano Gladys Swarthout,
glamour girl of Metropolitan Opera,
will sing here in the second Choral
Union concert of the current series I
Thursday, Oct. 29.
Miss Swarthout's voice, beauty,
brains and industry have won her
everlasting praise from music critics.
She is a star in opera, concert, radio
and sound films.
The mezzo-soprano is the only wo-
man ever to have sung for the entire
assembled Congress of the United
States, the Diplomatic Corps, Su-
preme Court, and the President, at-
taining this honor at the 150th anni-
versary exercises celebrating the
founding of Congress.
Occupying a foremost place at the
Metropolitan Opera, Miss Swarthout
has participated in major capacities
in practically all of the more impor-
tant American opera companies. Last
year she made five appearances in
the title role of "Carmen", while her
other favorite roles include "Mignon,"
"Norma," "Sadko." "Forza del Des-
tino," "Peter Ibbetson," "Tales of
Hoffman," and "La Gioconda."
American By Birth
American by birth and training,
she found it necessary to learn twen-
ty-three operatic roles in one sum-
mer, after she had been presented
with a Chicago opera contract and
then realized that she didn't know
all of any single role.
Her ability to remember roles saved
a performance in Cleveland one eve-
ning when the artist playing Adalgisa
in "Norma" was suddenly stricken
and could not go on. Miss Swarthout
stepped in Without rehearsal. She did
the same thing for "Peter Ibbetson"
on a later occasion, replacing another
singer at the last minute.
Considered one of the ten best-
dressed women of the world, Miss
Swarthout insists that three suitcases
will carry a wardrobe suitable for an
entire concert tour. She shows some
of the eccentricity expected of artists
in wearing gowns of only wool mater-
ial, regardless of the weather, ostens-
ibly to protect her voice.
Included among her many acces-
sories is a huge topaz, the gift of her
husband, Frank Chapman, concert
and operatic baritone.
Miss Swarthout's lack of conceit is
shown by an incident in which she
unintentionally insulted an entire
town. As her train slid into Brandon,
Ont., where she was to give a concert,
she saw a brass band getting ready
and the silk hats of the city fathers.
Thinking they were there to bid
Godspeed to some departing soldiers,
she grabbed the hand of her accom-
panist and jumped out of an offside
door in the rear car.
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9adi SWARTHOUT
Gladys Swarthout has everything - voice, beauty,
brains, and industry, according to a distinguished
critic. These qualities have brought her fame in opera,
concert, radio, and sound films. She occupies a fore-
most place at the Metropolitan Opera and has partici-
pated in major capacities in many other important
opera companies. In concerts each year she thrills
audiences in the great musical centers everywhere.
Thursday, October 29
- _7eIh EDDY
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Gladys Swarthout
* *. Soa'iteite
No introduction is needed for this great American
baritone. Mr. Eddy possesses a "voice heard round
the world," and as an American ambassador-at-large
his fame has encircled the globe. In addition to splen.
did -diction he possesses distinctive gifts for acting,
and great personal charm and magnetism. From first
to last he is completely and naturally American -
stardom has not spoiled him.
land Orchestra has toured the United States for many years
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